AN INSIGHT TO AYURVEDIC DIET AND NUTRITION

From the time of conception in the mother’s womb till the last moment of life on earth, the human body requires food to grow, sustain and develop. We now live in a century where calories are counted, carbohydrates and fats are looked upon with fear and anything not certified organic is seen with apprehension. But thousands of years ago, Ayurveda had a deeper knowledge on diet and nutrition and how to consume food sensibly for the balance of mind, body and spirit. In Ayurveda, food is given equal or more importance than medicine. It is one of the three supporting pillars of life mentioned in Ayurveda (Triopasthamba), the other two being sleep and celibacy.

Till about a decade ago, the major focus was on finding out cures for the diseases. But now, the focus has primarily shifted to healthy positive living, which is nothing but getting back to the roots. One of the fundamental factors for such a healthy living is the food that we eat daily. Ayurveda does not believe in the “one diet fits all” rule. Rather, it advocates a strong principle – One’s diet should be suitable to him in all aspects like his age, constitution, digestive power, season, geographical location, current state of health etc.

• Prakruthi – natural quality of food like heavy, light etc.
• Karana – preparation and processing of food.
• Samyoga – the different combinations of food.
• Rashi – the quantity of food.
• Desha – variations in food quality according to different geographical regions.
• Kala – time factor that considers daily and seasonal variations along with the age of the individual.
• Upayoga samstha – various dietetic rules.
• Upayoktha – the person who consumes the food.

General principles of diet according to Ayurveda

• The food should be fresh, hot and unctuous.
• The quantity of food taken should be proper. That is, it should be according to your digestive power. The amount of food that gets digested and metabolized in the body within the exact time, without causing any discomfort is considered as proper quantity.
• A meal should be taken only after the digestion previous meal. That is, you should eat only when you are hungry.
• The food should be consumed in a clean place with utmost concentration, without talking and laughing, not too fast and not too slow.
• If the food is heavy to digest, only three fourth or half the stomach capacity should be filled up.
• Incompatible food or those with contradictory properties should not be consumed regularly. For example, milk and fish, equal quantity of honey and ghee etc. can cause adverse effects in the body.
• Ayurveda describes six tastes – sweet, salt, sour, pungent, bitter and astringent. Ideally a meal should contain all these.
• The food should be nourishing and suitable according to your constitution (prakrithi), mental and emotional temperament.
• The food you consume should complement every seasonal and daily change and other natural factors surrounding you.

Role of spices in Ayurvedic diet

Herbs and spices are an important part of Ayurvedic nutrition. Apart from adding flavor to the food and boosting the digestive process, they play a crucial role in maintaining the dosha balance in the body. They even change its mode of action when combined with different food items. For example, ginger when consumed with rock salt helps reduce vata dosha but when taken with honey, it helps reduce kapha dosha. Cumin, turmeric, ginger, black pepper, coriander etc. are some spices that you may include in your daily diet. They impart medicinal qualities to the food you consume and help induce digestive secretions.

Tamasic diet: Ignorance, greed, laziness etc. are considered Tamasic dosha of the mind. Naturally, a diet that contributes to these emotions is considered Tamasic. Frozen food, leftover meals, hard-to-digest meat etc. are examples for Tamasic diet. When they are consumed daily and in excess, it can aggravate these attributes in you.

Food is as important as air for the sustenance of human beings. Acharya Susrutha says, food nourishes and brings about happiness while contributing to body strength. It improves memory, energy, mental strength, increases the ojas and life span. As much as you take care of the Ayurvedic dietary principles, the source of your food is also very important in Ayurveda. When you are conscious about the different aspects of food and eat accordingly, health and wellbeing come naturally to you. That is, the food should not be just nutritious from a physical point of view, but it should be nourishing for your intellectual and spiritual aspects as well.